Beginner looking for tow vehicle advice

[Lariat54]

Hello,
I am new to this forum and to the RV world so seeking some advice before I jump into something and make an expensive mistake.

My wife and I have been tent camping for a few years now and quite enjoy it, we are looking to take the next step and get into a small travel trailer. We have been looking at some campers and believe the Jayco Jay Flight SLX 175FQ is what we want. We are empty nesters so no need for bunks and we really like the larger shower and N/S bed layout. The big question I have is that I no longer have the truck that my Lariat54 username references so we are looking for a tow vehicle. I had been looking at the Jeep Grand Cherokee or Ford Explorer with their approx 6000Lbs tow rating, then I was just a 2023 Buick Enclave with 35k on it for a great price, it is my fathers car coming off a lease. Its the Avenair model with tow package and a rating of 5000Lbs, with the camper GVWR at 4500 I'm concerned this will be too close to pull reliably.

We typically carry 2 iSUP's and 2 bikes along with standard gear and live in southeast GA so occasionally would be taking trips up into the mountains.

 

[Kirk]

The 2025 Jayco Jay Flight SLX 175FQ travel trailer has a dry weight of 3,295 lbs, a GVWR of 4,500 lbs, and a hitch weight of 304 lbs, with a freshwater capacity of 30 gallons and grey/black water capacities of 20 gallons each. There is a generally accepted rule of thumb for towing with a vehicle that isn't a truck to tow no more than 80% of the rated weight, or in this case 4000#. With a 21' long trailer that is probably a good rule for the Buick.

 

[Isaac-1]

A few things to note, first dry weight only matters when you are towing it home from the dealership, after that it will never be towed empty. Secondly, towing capacity is rarely the limiting factor, instead it is usually payload capacity / rear axle weight rating. Third longer wheel base tow vehicles tend to tow better than shorter ones. Fourth, those tow ratings don't consider the sail area of a travel trailer, they are designed around the idea of a flat utility trailer loaded down with bricks.

p.s. don't forget to count passenger and luggage weight

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Like Kirk, I would be a little concerned that a 4500 lb trailer will really push the limits of that Enclave. Chances are the Enclave doesn't really have a full 5000 lb available for towing once you have people and personal stuff loaded in the SUV. That said, the Enclave Avenir is a lovely & capable SUV so I too would be very tempted by the offer. I don't think it would be unsafe, but the ride and handling could suffer a bit if the trailer ends up being fully loaded (4500 lb actual weight).

Look closely at the Enclave's Cargo Capacity (Payload) and hitch rating. When that trailer is loaded for travel, the gross weight is going to be somewhere north of 4000 lbs so the tongue weight will be in the 400-450 lb arena. The Enclave has to carry that tongue plus the weight of the trailer hitch itself, the passengers in the SUV, and whatever personal gear they bring.

 

[Lariat54]

Thank you all, appreciate the quick and knowledgeable replies from everyone! Seems the safest bet is to keep looking for a solid vehicle closer to a 6000 Lbs tow rating like we were originally thinking.

 

[Isaac-1]

I think you will be happier with that, or even something bigger, particularly on longer road trips, it is one thing to tow to the local lake, it is another to go on the great American road trip

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Something to consider that is orthogonal to the weight ratings:
I think your Dad has the right to purchase the vehicle at a fixed price when his lease ends. If you believe (as many do) that both new & used car prices are going to jump substantially as the tariffs go into effect, you will likely be buying that Enclave at a bargain (pre-tariff) price. You may even be able to trade it later for as much or more than you paid. Sorry to introduce that non-RV and non-tech factor, but it's a real world thing .

 

[garyb1st]

Buy the biggest/most powerful vehicle you can afford. That way you're already there when you want to upgrade to your next RV.

 

[SpencerPJ]

A truck sure would carry those bikes and sup's nicely, along with a small grill and table. Just saying, smaller suv's can max out quickly when bringing your toys. I understand life / vehicle balance, just don't get the smaller engine in a suv or you will be disappointed pulling in the mountains. As mentioned, understand what payload is, and the yellow sticker in the vehicles drivers door. Published tongue weight numbers by trailer manufactures are most always understated for various reasons. If it was me, and I thought I might have a 4000# trailer, plan for 4000x12%=480#, plus 100# wdh, so plan on 600# possible tongue weight, even more if you want to add a bike rack that mounts to front tongue of trailer. Just some thoughts. Looking at Grand Cherokees, they certainly make ones that are capable for this trailer. Another thing, pulling a box through the wind on a windy day, some of us like having a little more than needed for those days.

 

[gwinger]

Not sure if the Enclave has a full frame or unibody. If unibody, you may not be able to use a weight distributing hitch which may present a problem.
The suspension is also set up for a comfortable ride. It may not be able to handle a 400lb tongue weight (fully loaded trailer).

 

[chims]

If you're new to towing, there are a few things to consider:

1. The tongue weight: The published numbers can be misleading. The manufacturers are supposed to include battery and propane weight but I don’t think they ever do (they didn't in my case). Once you add two batteries and propane for two tanks, your tongue weight will increase by about 170 lbs. And this is before you've even loaded your trailer. The best thing to do is confirm this number with a tongue weight scale or at a CAT scale. You will want to keep your tongue weight between 10% - 15% of your fully loaded trailer.

2. Payload: You will eat up a good chunk of your payload capacity with your tongue weight (you will gain a bit of this back with your WDH). Payload will usually become an issue before towing capacity. If you have kids, spouse, pets, etc. this will also eat into your payload. You will also have to account for any cargo you might load into the back of the tow vehicle.

3. Tow Vehicle Wheelbase: The longer the wheelbase, the better. There are some rules of thumb out there for wheelbase to trailer length, 110" for 20 ft length, then add 1 ft for every additional 4 inches of wheelbase. I don't believe this is based on any science that I've seen. Most people only use this as a guideline and will often go over by a couple of feet in trailer length. Again, the longer, the better.

4. Weight Distribution Hitch: Get a good one if you have a short wheelbase on your tow vehicle. The WDH will dampen any sway but won’t eliminate it. Important to note that a WDH will not decrease your tongue weight, it will only redistribute.

5. Trailer Weight: Most people will recommend that you keep your towing weight at 80% of your maximum capacity. If you will be towing mainly on flatlands, this won't be as big a concern. But it's good to have something extra if you're towing through the mountains.

6. GCWR: Make sure you’re not going over the rated GCWR of your tow vehicle. Always verify that the combined weight (vehicle + payload + trailer) stays under the GCWR and that the tongue weight doesn't cause you to exceed the payload capacity.

Just a few things. Happy camping!

 

[Firstime RVer]

The way I did it was:
Take the empty TT weight
Add the weight of the propane and water tank
add the design cargo weight
I calculated 15% of that total.
Finally add the weight of the hitch and "bob's your uncle"
You've got your hitch weight.

From there you can decide what you need to handle the load.

Safe travels and all the best.

 

[chims]

The way I did it was:
Take the empty TT weight
Add the weight of the propane and water tank
add the design cargo weight
I calculated 15% of that total.
Finally add the weight of the hitch and "bob's your uncle"
You've got your hitch weight.

From there you can decide what you need to handle the load.

Safe travels and all the best.

That will tell you what your hitch weight "should" be. Depending on how your trailer is loaded, you could be over or under that value. The only way to confirm is to actually measure it at a CAT scale or with a tongue weight scale.

 

[SpencerPJ]

It is hard to say, go by the gvwr. As you can see, my smaller trailer with dual axles can carry a lot of weight, I'm certainly not fully loaded. My guess I pull 5500#, and likely 700# tongue weight (I've never scale weighed it, I have enough truck)

 

[Lariat54]

Again, appreciate all the knowledgeable replies, this is exactly the detail that I was needing to know. Based on the information and my current situation, the Enclave is too good of a value to pass up since it will also be a daily commuter for my wife. It looks like we will be purchasing the Enclave and continuing to tent camp until we retire and no longer need the practical commuter vehicle.

I did look up the Enclave details, it is a unibody (GM C1XX) platform so apparently not capable of the weight distribution hitch. In todays world the reliable vehicle takes priority as she is currently driving a 20 year old Toyota with 270k on it. When it's time to replace my car maybe a truck will make more sense.

This forum is great with quick responses and solid information, I'll continue lurking around and look forward to entering the RV world in the future.

 

[SpencerPJ]

You could do an upgrade to a pop up trailer. Certainly beats a tent in bad weather.